


And My Destination Makes It Worth the While

by HolodeckProgram1701



Category: Mamma Mia! (2008)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, First Kiss, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-15
Updated: 2018-08-15
Packaged: 2019-06-27 15:19:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15688095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HolodeckProgram1701/pseuds/HolodeckProgram1701
Summary: Set during Mamma Mia 2 (2018).While waiting for the opening night party, Tanya and Rosie revisit the market where they'd unknowingly run into Sam in 1979. When Tanya reminds Rosie of what happened that day, it triggers a confession held back since 1979.





	And My Destination Makes It Worth the While

**Author's Note:**

> First fic on AO3!!! 
> 
> If I have to write all the Tanya/Rosie fic myself I guess I'll do it. *Rolls up sleeves* I love this pairing!
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own a thing and am borrowing all characters and plots from their copyright holders for nonprofit amusement. But, feel free to hire me to write Mamma Mia 3! I can make it gayer.
> 
> Setting: In this universe, everything is the same plot-wise with the exception that Rosie doesn't really like Bill anymore and Tanya is an idiot about her emotions.

The breeze on the island carries the scent of flowers. Standing in the market courtyard with Rosie, Tanya inhales deeply, smiling. The sun is hot, and her glass of wine has her feeling delightfully free and easy. 

Greece is the same paradise it was when they first came to it in 1979. The courtyard looks more sophisticated now, but to Tanya the cosmetics don’t make the island beautiful. It’s her memories of what happened there. Britain was for break-ups, but here she’d only ever had fun with her girls. 

“In 1979 I stood here and you told me that I was beautiful,” said Tanya, smiling. The compliment had always stuck with her. Of course, the truth was that today, hair bright and fair in the sun, Rosie was the one who looked like an angel. She takes Rosie’s hand, swinging it gently back and forth between them. “Am I still beautiful?” 

The angel laughs in a low voice, squeezing her hand. 

“You were beautiful. Although you cut me off before I could also tell you that you looked ridiculous- don’t gasp at me, you know I’m right- I’d never seen so much purple on a person in my entire life until that day! No wonder Sam ran away from you!”

Tanya is not offended enough to stop holding Rosie’s hand, but she does turn her nose up and turn slightly away from her. “I asked if I am still beautiful, and I did not hear anything about my current state of beauty. Please respond to the question asked, thank you very much,” she says, twirling her hand in the air.

Rosie's voice answers her with amusement. “If you were any vainer, Tanya, I think mirrors would follow you like the pied piper. Alright then, Miss Vanity. Let me look at you.”

Tanya tilts her head back at Rosie and peers down her sunglasses at her oldest friend, then moves into a slow twirl under the guidance of Rosie’s hand. She has to bend down nearly double to fit under the arch of Rosie’s arm, which makes them both laugh. 

“Alright, gorgeous. You’ll do. Be catching husband number 4 in no time.”

“Oh, him.” Tanya waves her hand and gestures at the shorter woman. “Too bad he won’t look half as good as you do.”

“What?” asks Rosie, stumbling slightly. 

“Nothing,” says Tanya, shaking her head. She walks quickly towards the terrace overlooking the sea, knowing Rosie will take a minute to catch-up on her shorter legs. Looking out at the boats in the harbor she feels awkward, suddenly. Maybe she had gotten too much sun today? She was never not in a good mood around Rosie, she wasn’t sure what this feeling of unease was or why it was there. They were best friends. She could tell her anything. She could certainly tell her she was beautiful. 

“I just meant that you’re very pretty too, Rosie,” Tanya says, as she hears Rosie reaches the overview. She attempts a genuine smile; but she senses it not reaching her eyes and winces. Maybe she should go have another drink?

“Care for a drink?” she asks, feigning a calm exterior and gesturing in the direction of the bar. Without waiting for an answer she begins marching back the way they had come. 

“Not as much as I’d care for the truth,” calls Rosie, from behind her.

“What?” Tanya calls back, puzzled. She continues walking away from the terrace, aiming for the center of the market place. But Rosie continues to speak, her powerful voice carrying effortlessly over the light clutter of the market stalls. 

“In 1979, when I said you were beautiful, do you remember that you cut me off when I was still speaking?”

Tanya pauses. She tries to remember. It was afternoon. Rosie had just finished a diatribe on the island's cakes when the dark-haired boy had come out of nowhere, like a greek god plunged from the skies; then tragically he had barely paid attention to Tanya's flirting with him and he had wandered to that corner over there to chat with village woman...

Tanya squints at the exterior of the restaurant and ignores a wild-looking old man winking at her from the window, his long silver hair shining like a horse's mane. The place hadn't changed at all under neither Donna nor Sophie's reign, only the people. In 1979, there man had been an old woman in orange outside that had drawn the quiet boy's attention...at which point Tanya had panicked thinking her outfit might be failing her and asked Rosie’s opinion. Rosie had been looking at her, tiny and sweet from a foot below, though also quickly appearing aggravated because…oh, yes, Tanya had cut her off completely as the boy headed back their way. Oops. 

“I apologize,” Tanya admits, spinning around and walking back to Rosie. Of course, she liked to tease Rosie by cutting her off from time to time, so she hadn’t particularly noticed. Rosie was cute when she was angry. An angry Rosie was a Rosie that liked to wrestle with her, call her a giraffe, and goad Tanya into singing contests where Donna would declare them both winners. Of all her bad habits, Tanya thought teasing Rosie was her best.

“Although...you’re very hard to see, all the way down there; it’s no wonder I didn’t realize you were still speaking.” Tanya uses her most disdainful registers cheerfully. No time like the present to indulge herself. 

“Oh, is that the truth?” Rosie huffs, rising up on the balls of her feet. 

“Eh, granny?” Tanya says, bending down. She mimes holding a hearing aid to her ear. 

“Ouh, you giant giraffe!” Rosie slaps her on her behind. “Back to the stables with you!” 

Tanya skips away from Rosie’s hands. “See how easy it is to cut you off?”

Rosie throws her hands in the air. “Tanya, honestly. Do you even want to hear what I might have said in 1979 or should we wait another 30 years?” She sits down on the bench at the terrace edge, gripping the stone seat defiantly. Why she would want to be shorter now Tanya can't fathom, so she spreads her arms wide and sighs.

“No, I do want to hear it. Go ahead.”

She watches her friend point firmly behind her at the restaurant before issuing a command. “Turn around first.”

Tanya protests, her suspicions rising. “Rosie, if you jump on me from behind we will both break our legs and our arms and possibly our backs, so I warn you to consider our age…” 

“For goodness sakes Tanya, I’m not going to jump you! Well not in that way, exactly, oh just turn around!" 

So Tanya turns around, rolling her head back to look at the sky. Honestly. Sometimes Rosie was very confusing. 

Once Tanya is no longer facing the sea, Rosie begins to speak very quickly. Her words come in a rush towards Tanya, like a strong current in a river. "What I’m trying to say, Tanya, is that in 1979, I intended to tell you that you were beautiful but that you should take your clothes o-” 

Unable to help herself, Tanya interjects. “You already expressed you displeasure of the color purple-” 

“Ouf! You did it again,” Rosie’s voice rises from behind her, sounding infuriated. 

Again? Oh. 

“Maybe your sentences should be as short as you are so they’d get to the point on time!” she retorts, clenching her fists. Rosie sure had a bee in her bonnet today. Distracted by the tranquil clear sky above her, she jumps when Rosie’s next words are yelled at her, rapid as cold water plunging over the falls.

“As I was saying! Tanya! You’re beautiful, but you should take your clothes off in the bedroom with me instead of sodding about with some passable mainland boy because I always think you’re stunning and I would never leave you as long as I lived even if we live to be 100 years old and I had to carry you everywhere!” 

Rosie’s declaration echoes in the courtyard, loudly, and for a moment Tanya realizes that the courtyard is not at all empty. A large number of islanders have just heard Rosie proposition her. She claps her hand to her chest. 

Politely, the market continues as usual after a brief moment. 

Tanya puts her hand above her diaphragm to steady herself. Her breathing is fast and she wants desperately to have it return to normal. She can’t let this throw her. This is nothing. This is fine. But her brain keeps repeating “take your clothes off” and she’s suddenly seeing Rosie, white-blonde hair glowing in the darkness of a bedroom, her hands reaching towards Tanya to pull apart the films ties of the sundress and then pressing her body down on top of her.

“Tanya?” 

A whisper from behind her. Tanya is slowly going up in flames, but no one seems to be aware enough to throw water on her.

“Tanya, that was, er. A lot louder and more, uh, public, than perhaps necessary...” Rosie continues. 

Tanya’s voice is, for once, slightly whispy, when she tries to speak, and her face feels heated. She is sure the sun has nothing to do with it. "Ah," she pauses. She has no idea what to say or do next: a first in her life. 

“T?”

Rosie puts her hand on her arm. Tanya inhales deeply. Okay. This is fine. This is fine. She looks properly at Rosie as her friend steps in front of her. Her brows her touching, clearly worried. But she doesn’t look embarrassed.

So Tanya speaks. “Could you repeat what you just said? Quietly is fine, I’ve got my hearing aid in now,” Tanya says, feeling as though her voice is coming from underwater and she’s somewhere on the shore. 

Rosie answers her steadily, taking her time. 

“I have never seen anyone so lovely in my long life." She squeezes Tanya's hand firmly, and continues. "I wish you’d never wear another purple dress again because it drives me crazy with how gorgeous you are. Forget about bachelor number 400. Let’s explore the island together, just the two of us.” Rosie’s voice is a little hoarse, but words never sounded so sweet and clear before. 

Tanya feels her grin wrapping around her face, wide as the horizon. Hearing that Rosie desires her feels incredible. Is this how bodies are meant to feel? Can she always feel like this? Feeling unsteady feels better than feeling balanced, now. And she knows what to do with her newfound sea legs. 

She takes a firm breath and sings. 

“I believe in angels.” She takes off her sunglasses, dramatically throwing them into a floral arrangement and taking Rosie’s hand. Might as well update the locals as to their romance. Rosie’s loose shirt is fluttering in the wind, a soft rainbow of colors that Tanya can’t look away from. 

“Something good in everything I see.” She runs her eyes up and down Rosie’s body, hoping her intention is clear. There’s wine on her breath and she hopes Rosie won’t mind the taste when they kiss. When they kiss…oh, the smell of the sea, and the look of surprise and happiness in Rosie’s eyes are all she never knew she’d needed. 

A lighter voice harmonizes with her on the next line. 

“I believe in angels,” Rosie’s eyes are bright as stars, smiling gently at her. “When I know the time is right for me. I’ll cross the stream. 

"I have a dream.”

Rosie spins her under her arm, and Tanya feels the stones under her feet drop away and turn to clouds. She’d never felt such pure joy. Near them, she hears the villagers continue their chorus in harmony. “They'll cross the stream...They have a dream…”

What a lovely island. 

Speaking of which…“Is it time to explore now?” she asks in a low voice, holding both of Rosie’s hands. Her skin is soft, warm…maybe Rosie will kiss her. That would be the best thing to happen on this island in its entire history, and Aphrodite should help her out with this request. Right? 

“Now that you’ve accepted my proposal, and most musically too, yes,” Rosie assures her. Rosie takes her by the arm and guiding her towards the spot where she’s tossed her sunglasses. She fishes them out and holds them up toward Tanya, only to smirk as she then whips them behind her back. 

"You'll need these if we're going to traipse about the orchard! But before you protect those lovely eyes of yours..." Rosie pauses and invades what's left of Tanya's personal space. Feeling Rosie push against her firmly, Tanya wonders if Aphrodite realizes she's having trouble breathing and might not make it through a kiss, after all. 

"...you can bend down and kiss me, Miss Giraffe. I’m not doing any more work for you today! You can have your designer wrinkle-shielders back when you've gotten me hot and bothered.” 

It’s the nicest insult she’s ever heard, so Tanya does as she’s asked. And she does a good job, since Rosie all but melts into the stones and Tanya's hands wrap easily around her back to take her sun shades are back where they belong. She likes Rosie bossy. And she really likes Rosie kissing her. 

She knew Aphrodite wouldn't let her down.

Tanya and Rosie finish kissing just as the locals finish the last verse of their song and burst into applause. 

"It's very Greek, but I like it," admits Rosie, tugging Tanya to stand beside her as raising their clasped hands. 

"Absolutely," agrees Tanya, taking a bow alongside her. "Glad you enjoyed the show," she proclaims grandly, putting on her shades and allowing Rosie to lead them toward the staircase. The heavenly island just got even closer to paradise, and she knows Donna would be proud of her Dynamos for making it so. 

\- Fin


End file.
